Lions Tale
by Y2Jen
Summary: There's something about Chris Jericho's past, a deep dark secret that comes out at the very wrong time. It's hurt him, how will it hurt his those around him? My first supernatural scifi fantasy fic, Steph Jericho, Trish Christian pairings. R&R plz!
1. Maybe

Those dreams… they're coming back to me again. Where I look into the mirror, and I see the reflection of my appearance revert demonically into who I really am. Shatter in my roar. Then I'm a child, being held close by arms, the arms of a woman whose picture I've only seen in photo albums. The woman who died, who carried me… And I could see her with my own two eyes, and hear the voice with my own two ears, and feel our hearts beat in the warm embrace… only before I awake to find that it's not real. The one, the person, the woman ….mother… who died – and it was all because of me, it was all, my, fault…

_Dearest journal,_

_For the many years of my life, I've kept a running log within you. It was a place for me to run and hide, to confide in all my secrets and all of my fears. From my childhood, to Jessica, to wrestling, you held it all knowingly. But this entry shall mark the end of this chronicle. For you were the keeper of all I thought and imagined could be in my life, through the good and even the bad, for all my hopes and dreams… but now, I have none._

And so with that, Chris Jericho closed the book and turned out the light as he put the diary away into a desk drawer. He went to the door and closed it, locking the dark room inside, leaving it all behind him, never to be seen again…

…**Or, so he thought**.

As Chris walked down the hall, walking away as if to leave it all. He was leaving, leaving it all behind him, his past, his identity, and who, what, he really was. Walking down to the end where a light shone at the exit, and maybe there, he could find it, find tranquility and happiness in life, perfection, or even, a brand new life itself. He clenched the key tightly in his hand, a key that closed one door locked, but may open another, somewhere on down the line…

A/N: I have been wanting to write this for days now, I've had visions of the whole story pop in my mind so much at work it's sometimes hard to concentrate, ha. In the shower, when I'm driving, I just HAD to finally get it down on paper, or a computer. I know I'm working on another big story too, and updates for both will be conflicted by my serious lack of time and computer access, but I just couldn't take it anymore, this story is going to be so good I can feel it, I just finally had to start it and unleash the beat from inside… which is something that this story deals greatly with, with our main character, of course none other than Chris Jericho.


	2. Dreams, Reality

**I was running, panting… being chased, I just had to, I was trying to get away… it was after me, something, but what…?**

"Ah, eh!" The young child cried out as it ran…

It was always different, could be on the beach, in the mountains, the deserts, a city street, a suburb park, a building, outside his home, but this time it was in a forest… The boy gasped as he heard the monster behind him, he got up, dirty and tired, and kept on running… running, running for his life. Finally he skidded to a halt at a dead end ledge. There was nowhere to run, but maybe, to hide…? Finally the monster appeared in the moonlight. Though he could barely be seen, his appearance was well known to this child. It had the mane of a lion, a tail like a cat, stripes on its body with claws and fangs. The monster growled like an animal as he tried to sniff his prey out. The kid looked up from where he hid behind a rock under the ledge. His heart racing, thumping, pounding against his chest as if it were to burst from his lungs, his body swearing, his legs throbbed with worn. His eyes shook, would this monster find him this time…? No. He gave up and walked away, retreating with failure into the night. A sigh of relief… but this monster, was like a sphinx, for it seemed to have the bodily structure, of a man…

Chris Jericho gasped for air as his eyes snapped open amid the noise. He sighed with relief as he stared at the ceiling of his hotel room, he sat up, it was all a dream, just a dream. He looked up and shut off the alarm. He stood up and got out of bed, heading to the bathroom to start yet another day in the life of a pro wrestling superstar.

"Hey Chris, you hungry?" Stephanie McMahon smiled warmly as her best friend approached the table.

"Yeah, a little I guess." Chris rubbed his head as he sat down, digging in.

"Just little huh." Steph smirked, raising an eyebrow.

"Gees save us some you pig, you man whale, you…."

"Okay, okay, we get it Christian…" Trish Stratus rolled her eyes. "Oh, and we get it."

"Humph." Christian pouted, folding his arms. "Fine then…" Trish giggled and pet the little dog in her purse.

"So wow, how about it, being chosen for tonight's PPV past vs present match." Stephanie spoke up. "Rumor has it that it could be Hulk Hogan himself."

"Nah, I'd doubt it." Christian swallowed his food arrogantly.

"Who would you like to face Chris?" Trish asked with a smile.

"You know what, I don't know, anybody would be an honor."

"Oh!" Trish snapped her fingers. "How about Jessie Ventura?"

"Never know." Chris shrugged with a grin, he was really eager for this match and was thrilled that it was him the General Manager had chosen. "Well I'm going to head to the gym, gotta be prepared, I'll see you guys tonight."

"Alright then, later man." Christian waved as Chris left him with the two ladies again.

Chris was working out in the weight room, he was lifting one of the larger bars next to the weight rack, he'd just gotten off an hour of cardio too, he was psyched for this match tonight. He was doing rep after rep as he watched himself in the mirror.

_You are not worthy compared to a man like me…_

Chris groaned and took an uneasy breath as the voice of memory echoed in his head.

_The blood is on your hands…_

Chris struggled to breathe and keep the weight up…

_Dad, where is mom, why can't she be here…?_

Chris slowly let the bar down from over his head under his chin on his chest…

_I'm sorry Chris, but I'm breaking up with you.  
__Jessica, no wait, please… you can't do this! I LOVE YOU!_

"Ah!" Chris cried out, there was pain, and suddenly his world went black…

_Chris…?_

_Chris…_

_Chris?_

"Chris!"

"Steph….?" Chris opened his eyes, his heart was racing, his body was aching. "What happened?"

"I don't know, Christian found you in the weight room, I guess the weights came crashing down on you, you're pretty beat up."

"Huh?" Chris sat up, taking in a sharp breath at the pain as he looked at his body, bandaged over the bruises. "Oh my head… I can't remember, I don't…"

"It's alright, one may have hit your head, you could have a concussion, you should take it easy…"

"Hmm…." Chris sighed, then he gasped. "Stephanie, what time is it!"

"Oh." She looked at her watch. "Four, why?"

"Cripes, Unforgiven!" Chris jumped up. "AH!"

"Oh no, you can't wrestle, I'll talk with my brother."

"No! This is my job, I made a promise to them, to the company, to the people, to you… and to myself."

"But Chris…"

"I'm fine Steph." Chris shot a smile at her. "I just need to walk this off." He stood up and shakily walked down the hall.

Stephanie's eyes shook sadly as she sighed, "Oh Chris…"

Chris walked along, occasionally using the wall to prop himself up as he went on, but just then... "Chris?"

"Huh?"

"Chris, hi!"

"Jessica?" Chris yelped as he whirled around. "What are you doing here?"

"Wow, you look like somebody chewed you up and spit you out."

"Yeah, you!" Chris growled.

"Please, I'm sorry Chris."

"Don't explain… just, what are you doing here?"

"I got a pass in a radio contest, did you forget where you are? Tampa Bay. Where I live."

"Right." Chris stared at the floor, his eyes shaking. Here, there she was, the woman he loved and his heart still yearned for, laughing easy and having fun while his life was miserable.

"Chris." She began. "Look, it's been five months, and..."

"Look, I have to go, I've got a match to prepare for."

She smiled, "Aright then, well you be careful, I'll be watching remember." She winked. Chris groaned and continued towards his locker room…

That night at the match…

"Well folks here we are, getting ready for the Past vs Present match with one of our dream superstars and a classic legend."

"Oh JR I can't wait! Who will tonight's pick be?"

"Well King it's all up to the General Manager, this is just one of the new GM's ideas to send ratings through the roof."

"Oh yeah, and Shane McMahon has done an awesome job! And the fans can't get enough of these!"

Chris Jericho stood in the ring with Stephanie McMahon, Trish and Christian at ringside for support. Chris stretched and moved his arms to loosen up, cracking his neck. Stephanie watched him carefully, she knew he was still hurting, but she also knew there was no talking him out of this… The music hit…!

"OH look at that King!"

"JR, that's the Ultimate Warrior! Oh my God!"

"Oh boy is Chris Jericho in for the fight of his life."

Chris remained focus, his eyes locked on the dangerous wild target as it made its way down the ramp and into the ring.

Stephanie could feel the tension thinken around him, sheslid out on the apron, "Be careful, please Chris."

"Don't you worry, I'll be fine." Chris spoke while not removing his look on his opponent. He swallowed hard, "I'm ready..."

The bell sounded at the referee's command. Ultimate Warrior smiled strangely, taking Chris off guard. With one swift out of the blue blow, Ultimate Warrior sent a fully powered punch right to the side of Chris's neck. He cried out in shock and pain as he flew, flipping in the air, and crashed into the turnbuckle in a crumpled heap on the mat.

"Chris!" Stephanie screamed. Warrior laughed at the exuberating thrill, just exasperated.

"Oh wow, I think he's out." Christian gasped as Trish grabbed his arm in shock.

"Chris, are you alright?" Stephanie rushed over, his eyes were half open but nobody was home, but his expression was glazed, he wascold cocked unconscious. Warrior smirked and approached him slowly, like a monster stalking his pray. "Chris, get up, please." Stephanie cried. "Chris? Chris….!"


	3. Destiny, The Monster Awakens

A/N: **I feel like I ended the first chapter too quickly, so I guess here's part two... only I added a little blip at the end to carry on over to chapter four. But I am just SOO swamped I can't even begin to explain, so I won't get into that, but chapters will be shorter for this story I'm afraid, due to the lack of free time, but look for a longer for my other one. A big one will be coming up soon in the next few days with my other fic, so keep your eyes peeled open for that, I feel that the other story will take off a lot better than this one will be, this will be a shorter one.**

"Chris! Chris!" Stephanie McMahon screamed, her voice begging him to get up and be alright as she pounded on the mat.

"His face is blank, his heart yearns no more as his mind has been closed off from the rest of the world and all of his distractions." Ultimate Warrior murmured. "This battle has ended..."

"Huh?" Stephanie took back a bit.

Warrior turned to her, "Ah, Stephanie McMahon… I remember the last time seeing you knee high." He grinned as he lowered his hand yay high. "You were kneeling before some man if I'm not mistaken, whiping your mouth..."

"Grr." Stephanie growled, balling up a fist of clenched finger nails. "You bastard, you cold heartless bastard…! What have you done to him?"

"It will all end soon enough, then I shall move onto you. And your other friends." He looked at Trish Stratus and Christian who gasped slightly in shock. "Trish, you're such a dish."

"Ugh." Trish growled, stepping back in disgust.

"Hey don't talk about my girlfriend like that!" Christian roared.

"Please chump. Then only reason she's with you is because she pities you, the typical small looser with a lot of money whose so nerdy he can't still find a woman… virgin."

"Hey!" Christian barked back, balling up his fists, Trish fuming by his side "None of that is true!"

"You are all dead." He looked around the ring at them, then his eyes fell on the referee.

The ref's soul nearly leapt out of his skin, "What is he going to go after me now…?" But Warrior just turned around back to Chris. The ref sighed with relief, but then grew angry, "Hey you can't just ignore me, I'm in control of this match here!"

"Hardly." Warrior picked up Chris by the nape of his hair. "I'M, in control…" He threw him down, falling limply on the mat.

"Just go for the cover man, he's out." The ref shot back.

"You threaten, me? You can't tell me what to do." Warrior got in his face with a cold sinister simrk. "I told you…! I'M…. Warrior fell down after being attacked from behind. "AH!"

"Whoa, what happened?" Stephanie gasped and looked around.

"Up there, check it out!" Christian was shocked, Trish following his gaze.

"Huh?" Stephanie looked up into the ring and gasped. "Chris!" But she paused…. "Chris….?"

"What the…?" Warrior sneered angrily as he looked over his shoulder, sitting up to turn and face his foe. "What's going on?"

Chris Jericho landed on his feet after the assault, "What's the matter Warrior? I thought you said you were in control…" His face was dark and demented, covered by strands of hair, twisted into a snarl, his voice was not his own, deep and gravely. He balled up his fists, cracking his knuckles sinisterly as he growled.

"What… what's going on?" Stephanie was shaking. He didn't look like himself… sure it was his body, and the flowing majestic mane that was trademark to his name… but his soul… his heart… she could read it on his face… those eyes, those once beautiful blue eyes… were no longer his, the voice she fell in love with, was tainted. She frowned and choked sadly, "What's happened to him?"

"You!" Warrior snapped as he jumped up and got into grappling position, he had to defend himself. "What is happening here?" He thought to himself, usually a punk like this would be a joke, but he wasn't laughing now, something was different about this man, as if he'd transformed. "You should know that I am not human, I am the Ultimate Warrior, a true king of demons, a monster of men, and you shall remember my name, once you know my wrath!" He roared out his battle cry before charging at his foe. He lunged but Chris ducked, then shot his right arm up with lightning blind speed, practically breaking his shoulder in the socket with such force. "AH!" Warrior rolled to the side, holding his left arm that was now incapacitated. "How did he dodge me so quickly...?" Warrior turned around to face his opponent, who stood at the opposite side of the ring with his back to him. Warrior gasped, he could feel it, there was just something different about him, he couldn't explain it and he didn't understand it. "It's as it the pure aura surronding his body has become maliced by a dark chi, blocking out all human compasion and conciounse with the thrill of the kill soley in his mind…!"

"Very poetic." Chris smirked fang like. "You should know that we are not at all equal." Chris turned around and jumped back. "One of us is far superior here surpassing the other in all possible traits…!" He pulled back his fists next to his ribs as if to hone his power, then charged at Warrior with great velocity against the ropes. "I am in a class all my OWN!" He cried out and speared right through the Ultimate Warrior, sending him flying through the ropes and falling out of the ring, knocking his head against the bottom of the ramp and falling unconscious. Chris stopped as the referee went for the ten count. He looked at Warrior's blood on his hands, "That felt good… I won… but this isn't like any other victory… something has happened, it's been released, inside me… the blood pumping through my veins is so… coursing with the energy of adrenaline, it's not my own… I just can't explain it… I don't understand how, or even why, but..."

"Ten! Ring the bell!" The referee called, the winner of the match was Chris Jericho! The crowd roared as he raised his hand, but Chris hissed back at him. "Whoa…!"

"Don't you touch me." He bared his fist claw like.

"Chris." The ref blinked. "Your voice… need some water…?"

"Get out of here, before I make my attack on you next…" Chris crouched down into a fighting position, spooking the ref out of the ring.

"Chris…!" Stephanie climbed onto the apron and held the ropes. "Chris!"

"Stephanie…?" Chris bared his teeth, sending a shock jolting through Stephanie's body. With one plusing beat her heart seemed to freeze as she stared at this creature... thisnot human creature. "Get away from me, don't come near me….!"

"Huh?" Her eyes shook, what was going on, something weird had happened to him…

"I don't know what I'm going to do next..." He growled savagly.

"Chris..." Stephaine's face softened, whatever was going on, this was just not him, she knew that he knew it, she could tell he was fighting from on the inside, but fighting against what?

"Be careful Steph." Trish gulped.

"Get away from him, it's not safe!" Christian cried.

"Chris." Stephanie went into the ring and walked slowly towards him. "Warrior is defeated… the match is over… you won… now come back to us…"

"No stop, he's dangerous!" Christian yelled as Trish felt her stomach jumpup into her chest and freeze.

"Chris…"

"Stephanie!"

"It's alright to stop…"

"Grrr….!" Chris began to feel the hairs bristle on the back of his neck, he was going to attack this stranger.. he went to lunge forward but Stephanie slapped him back. "AH!" He grabbedhis face and stumbled forward, tripping over her legs as he fell onto the mat, his hair falling foward to cover his face.

"Chris, Steph…!" Trish and Christian called.

"Chris…?" Stephanie slowly went to help him up.

Chris was growling and looked up quickly, sending his hair back waving behind his shoulders, "What the hell was that for, why would you trip me like that…? Ah!" Chris cried out angrily, holding his nose as he sat up whining.

"Whoa, what the….?" Christian blinked.

"What's happened, he's back to normal." Trish gasped in shock.

"Chris." Stephanie fell to her knees before him.

"Huh?" He looked up at her confused.

"Oh thank goodness you've come back!" She practically sobbed as she fastly raped her arms tightly around his neck. She gasped and looked up at his confused blank expression, "What, what is it…?"

"Back, back from where…?" He looked around the ring. "What happened, the match…?" He gasped, "Oh no, I didn't loose did it….?"

"Huh?" Stephanie made a strange face.

"What?" Trish and Christian matched her expression.

Stephanie looked at Chris carefully, as if to study him closely, "You honestly don't remember?"

"Remeber what...?"

"Oh Chris." She sighed with a sad frown, what was going on here. "What happened to you…?"

"What do you mean?" Chris blinked, then looked down at his bloody hands with a quiet sigh, "I dunno…." He had no idea what was going on, the last thing he remembered was blacking out at Warrior's attack, then waking up on the floor after tripping, his face stinging from a slap. He turned with Stephanie and looked outside the ring on the floor, where the Ultimate Warrior's body still lay beaten in defeat…but defeated, by what?

------------------

_Chirs Jericho sat on the hotel room balcony staring out into the dark sky, the stars winking back at him. The wind blew through the trees and brushed at his hair. He felt sick to his stomach, his face was confused and stern, serious in thought. He closed his eyesas his soul trembled in pain, the soundtrack of his life played loudly and vividin his mind... it was that same song, the same sad song, slow with those voilins and flutes... the song he heard when he saw her in his dream, when she opened her mouth to speak it was all that seemed to ever come out... the song he knew, called mother._


End file.
